The axe was held by the Rally Committee as a Cal trophy. Stanford students made numerous attempts to steal it, but it wasn't until 1930 when they were finally successful. In 1933 the two universities agreed that it would become a trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Big Game.

Read full text of article: "A Daytime Rally: The Winning of the Championship and Capture of Stanford's Ax Celebrated," The Daily Californian, April 18, 1899